Heart and Seoul Travel Log: Food for the Soul Series 1 Entry #5 A Visit to Otsu Seiromushi: Black Pork, Floating Rocks, and Quiet Joys

On the evening of our second day in Seoul, we made our way to Otsu Seiromushi, the restaurant owned by Jin’s brother. Tucked inside a building in a business district in Seoul, the place was ready for our group to be accommodated. There was quiet excitement in the air.

When we were seated, we began with small servings of starters: a cold plate of sashimi and seasoned appetizers. The grilled Jeju black pig arrived soon after, and it was impeccable: greaseless, tender, and not charred at all. For a grilled meat dish, it looked and tasted healthy. I couldn’t help but compare it to the lechon black pig (a.k.a baboy ramo) I tasted during the PASLI Conference last April at the IRRI in Silang, Cavite. That version had subtle flavors of salt and tanlad. This one, however, was more refined. Thinly sliced, just one strip flavored the palate entirely.

The plate of sashimi was another star on the menu. Just like the grilled pork, it tasted fresh and clean. The tuna melted in the mouth, and there was a kind of discipline in the dish that made you want to eat with reverence. It made me want to take only what I could muster and consume; nothing wasted.

My favorite, though, was the oden-style soup with fish cakes and tofu. It was warm, comforting, and nourishing. I’ve been craving soup lately, perhaps due to my changing hormones as I enter menopause, and this bowl hit the spot. The warmth was bracing, the tofu made it even more comforting, and the elegantly wrapped fish cake pouches added depth and texture. This wasn’t just soup. It was a hug in a bowl.

Some of my companions ordered IGIN, the alcoholic drink that Jin himself helped develop. Even Zoe got a glass. I didn’t. Like Hoseok, I have low alcohol tolerance, but I appreciated the joy of everyone toasting and sharing this experience together.

What stood out just as much as the food was the installation art in the middle of the restaurant. It featured large rocks that seemed to float in mid-air, reflected in still water below. I remembered what Yoongi once said in an interview: “I wouldn’t mind being resurrected as a rock” (not in full quotation). It was a funny comment, but in that moment, looking at the quiet stones, it felt profound.

Rocks are silent. Steady. Enduring. They don’t need to prove anything to exist. They simply are. And maybe that’s what makes them strong.

That meal and that moment gave me pause. I was grateful to be there, with my daughter, with fellow ARMYs eating thoughtfully, sharing stories and getting to know each other a little more beyond our online personas. It was about tasting new flavors and appreciating the stillness, the artistry of the food and the community being built personally; relationally in a fandom space where we are often judged as nothing but screaming teenagers.

Let them. This is our joy. We earned it. It is sacred.

Truly Teena Ordoño, thank you for this well curated ARMY Tour package!

Heart and Seoul Travel Log: Food for the Soul Series 1 Entry #3 Snacks, Stopover, and Sisterhood

After our exhilarating visit to the filming site of In the Soop in Pyeongchang, we stopped at what looked like a small mall, a kind of rest area where tourists could stretch, snack, and breathe before the long drive back to Seoul. There, we unwrapped our packed sandwiches. They were simple but satisfying. I especially loved the orange and berry juice that came with it, bright, tart, and refreshing.

At the same stop, we bought coffee and corn ice cream, yes, that corn ice cream Jungkook ate in an episode of Run BTS, during the Telepathy Game, while waiting in the car. The vanilla-corn flavor was a treat, but it was the crunchy wafer shell that gave it its reason for being. Sweet, airy, and just a little bit nostalgic.

I was already full, but one of our Tita ARMYs came by with a big plastic bag of rice pops. Shaped like a disc, it reminded me of the kropek chicharon my Nanay Leony used to sell in her sari-sari store back when I was a wee little girl. I would dip the kropek in vinegar with plenty of onions and garlic. Ah! I can still remember the sound of crackling chicharon! Then, I would wash it down with Pop Cola or Sarsi.

This rice pop, however, commonly known as dalkomhan bungtteok, was a sweet surprise. Smothered in pink sugar bits, it was chewy, not crunchy. A stark contrast to my childhood chicharon: this one didn’t snap or sizzle. It lingered. And yet, both hold a place in my memory now: one from home, the other from a shared moment in Seoul.

I marvel at how food, though different across cultures, can bring people together through shared experiences. Despite the differences in taste, texture, or tradition, a sense of commonality exists. What’s more, eating with Tita ARMY friends, both old and new, became a bonding moment I truly cherish. We were once just acquaintances online, but in that moment, we were forging friendships and making memories to last a lifetime.

This is another aspect of the trip I am deeply grateful for. And for Zoe to witness this kind of sisterhood, rooted in kindness, laughter, and shared love for Bangtan, is given grace.

As we boarded the bus once more, I realized this stopover was more than a break, it was a bridge. Between generations, between strangers-turned-sisters, between flavors familiar and new. It was the sweetness of Jungkook’s favorite ice cream, the chewiness of pink-dusted rice pops, and the laughter shared under a Seoul sky. In these small moments, the extraordinary happens.

Heart and Seoul Travel Log: Food for the Soul Series 1 Entry #1- Korean Bulalo, Kimchi and Injeolmi

Our trip to Seoul for BTS’ 2025 Festa was truly one for the books. Our Purple Hearts are still glowing lilac from the experience, deepened in more ways than one. The journey didn’t just offer us a glimpse of the Korea that our Bangtan boys grew up loving; it let us taste it. We savored the food that has nourished their bodies and souls.

As a K-drama fan, this was more than a fangirling experience and BTS Pilgrimage. It was a tour with cultural and historical relevance. With each meal carefully curated by our guide, I finally experienced the flavors I had only seen through a screen. Sure, I’ve had Korean dishes back home in Biñan, but nothing compares to eating authentic Korean food, prepared by Korean cooks and chefs, in the land where these dishes were born. It was not just delicious; it was unforgettable. A once-in-a-lifetime experience.

 Seolleongtang (설렁탕) – Korean ox bone soup, with white rice and kimchi

Fresh from Incheon Airport and enduring the 18–20°C weather, our one-hour bus commute offered us a short nap and a quiet moment to settle in. My expectations upon arriving at our first Korean restaurant (I forgot to ask our tour guide for the name) were high and thankfully, they were met.

My first taste of Korean ox bone soup with kimchi: cabbage, radish, and white rice was comforting, grounding, and rejuvenating. Beside me was Zoe, my ARMY daughter, softly humming in approval.

The soup had just the right amount of beef, glass noodles, and green onions. It isn’t as savory as our bulalo, but the tang of the beef lingers. The side dishes, especially the cabbage kimchi, carried a subtle sweetness that stayed long after the next bite. No frills, just nourishment. The kind of food that steadies the soul. With each spoonful, it seemed to whisper, “You’ve made it.” 

Conversations about how tasty and filling the dish was floated around our table. Some asked for salt, even searched for patis or toyo, but for me, the broth’s gentle blandness gave full justice to the kimchi, the starchiness of rice, and why ox bone soup is ever present in K-dramas like Dr. Romantic and Weak Hero Class 1. Life is a battle. In the emergency room or at a hospital bed, seolleongtang  becomes both cure and balm. In The Glory, when the female leads meet over ox bone soup, they are preparing for revenge.

All of a sudden, it occurred to me: we, too, were about to face something. The fight to make the most of our five days and four nights in Seoul: the push and pull of desire, fatigue, wonder, and the resilience of fangirls in pilgrimage.

Watermelon Bingsu → 빙수 (literally means "shaved ice") and Injeolmi → 인절미 (a type of rice cake coated in roasted soybean powder) in Hangang-daero

The first official stop of our tour was the HYBE building in Hangang-daero. A throng of ARMYs from all over the world was already gathered along the sidewalk, hoping to catch a glimpse of RM and V’s black cars entering the building. After taking our customary group photos, we decided to visit a café nearby to extend our rest. A four-hour flight was manageable, but the six hours of prep time at the airport had worn me out.

Luckily, Zoe loves hanging out in cafés, so we picked one near HYBE. The vibe was electric and joyful. Where ARMYs gather, there’s always that boundless energy of camaraderie. Needless to say, we met many international ARMYs who had flown in for the 2025 BTS Festa.

At Mealtop Café, I ordered injeolmi, and my Tita ARMY friend chose bingsu. This was both our snack and dessert rolled into one. After a hearty bowl of seolleongtang and white rice, the soft, chewy rice cake dusted in roasted soybean powder was the perfect follow-up. Injeolmi grounds the palate—it’s mellow and earthy, with a texture that reminded me of tikoy and espasol.

Later, I admittedly regretted indulging in such a calorie-laden snack, especially when we were soon served veggie bibimbap for our late lunch. Still, this traditional Korean treat left an impression. Like Seoul itself, injeolmi is practical, grounding and steady.

That first day in Seoul reminded me that food isn’t just about filling the stomach—it’s about grounding the spirit. It’s amazing how foreign food can do this. Despite the differences, I found unexpected connections to the home-cooked Filipino dishes we love. From the warmth of seolleongtang to the quiet comfort of injeolmi, every bite carried a story, a memory, a beginning. And as we walked back to the bus stop, I knew this journey would nourish more than just my appetite.

Up next: bibimbap, Jeyuk Bokkeum (제육볶음), Doenjang-guk (된장국), Ssam veggies, rice, banchan